What kinda BOOTS do you wear

[dallas]

*Dumb question alert* Can combat boots such as these for example:

http://www.opsgear.com/index/page/product/product_id/624/category_id/317/category_chain/19,317/product_name/Blackhawk+Warrior+Wear+Black+Ops+Boots

Be worn year round? Is there such a thing as a winter/summer boot?

I have worn my matterhorn boots in temps between 113F and 30F. They were always comfortable. You always wear thin socks with them. I use coolmax socks with thin sock liners.

[mr_slappy75]

*Dumb question alert* Can combat boots such as these for example:

http://www.opsgear.com/index/page/product/product_id/624/category_id/317/category_chain/19,317/product_name/Blackhawk+Warrior+Wear+Black+Ops+Boots

Be worn year round? Is there such a thing as a winter/summer boot?

Not a dumb question at all, at least that is what I told myself when I bought a pair of "Hi-tec / Magnum" waterproof insulated field boots to wear during Chicago winters; This was during my younger days and my job require I be outside rain snow or sleet be damned.
Got quite a few looks from customers for them: 8 inch boots, coyote brown (it was not called that back then) and 400 Gr Thinsulate insulated, very .mil looking but my feet were warm and toasty and had tons of support and cushioning so at the end of the day my back and knees were in awesome shape.

As for the second question, yes there are. Most manufacturers seldom make the differentiation between anything other than “insulated” vs. “warm weather” plus with a lot of makers adapting gym shoe technology to field/combat/tactical boots you have some like the Bates “Recon” which I currently wear when it is above 30 degrees and dry.
http://www.centralpolice.com/Bates_M_4_Recon_Sage_Green_Boot_2466_p/2466.htm

You can have uninsulated warm weather waterproof boots and like Dallas said, the right socks would let you turn (in most climates) such a boot into a three -and if you live below the frost line- even four season boot. Like the Blackhawks you are looking at, would very likely fit the bill without issue.

For anything cold and wet related look out for “Waterproof” and “Insulated”. Gore-Tex is the industry’s best known waterproofing coating, but several manufacturers have their own in house branded take on waterproofing, I've had great experience with Sympatex.
Likewise 3M’s Thinsulate is the equivalent on the insulation department, different loft-weights indicate amount of cold protection. Shop around.

[AKFTW]

*Dumb question alert* Can combat boots such as these for example:

http://www.opsgear.com/index/page/product/product_id/624/category_id/317/category_chain/19,317/product_name/Blackhawk+Warrior+Wear+Black+Ops+Boots

Be worn year round? Is there such a thing as a winter/summer boot?

Yeah you could get away with those. I've worn the Converse boots year round up here in VT and while the specific pair got destroyed in 2 years of hard use, you could wear them.

[74 or more]

Thanks for the responses guys. I appreciate it

[narcedglocker]

a 15 year old pair of Vasque Sundown GTX. I went to order a new pair only to learn they are now made in China. Ugh.

[mr_slappy75]

^ This is actually part of the reason -price being the other one- why I just chanced getting a pair of these from The Sportman's Guide:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/wellco-gore-tex-mountain-combat-hikers-brown.aspx?a=918439

I will not lie, I don't always go out of my way to buy American made, I wish I could always afford to like with these. As far as saying "Chancing them" I mean b/c I am not familiar with the brand, have not even heard about Wellco until I saw another -PRC Made- model on sale a TSMG.

Anyone have any experience with these?

[bacpacjac]

They're not high tech or expensive but these were my favorite boots so far. Perfect for wet and cold conditions. Good tread, durable, insulated or non, and they're economical. A great poor man's boot!

http://m1105.photobucket.com/albumview/ ... 8.jpg.html

The seam at the ankle cracked after a couple of years so I recently replaced them with these, which I don't like quite as much. They don't seem to get as much traction in snow and ice:

http://m1105.photobucket.com/albumview/ ... 8.jpg.html

[Boondock]

In warm weather, a pair of green Vasque Juxt low hikers.

http://www.cabelas.com/ensemble/Footwea ... d%3D721593

Very durable, comfortable and because they're waterproof, practical without looking tactical.

[Berkem]

Valenki.Russian footwear for russian winter.

http://www.google.ru/search?hl=ru&newwi ... 4QT4spXDCQ

[TxZA]

Depending on the day and uniform it is either bates ultra lites which are my favorite or desert tan oakleys wich are ok.

[Red_Snow]

[UndeadInfidel]

http://www.lapolicegear.com/co-bates-29 ... c-rat.html

Worth gambling on a pair? That's a smokin good price, but the caveat is that they were recalled after Marines in Afghanistan claimed they were having quality issues.

[OpelBlitz]

Well, I finally went out and got some boots -- Merrell Moab Ventilator Mid. Feels so weird, my ankles having support!

[jeepinbandtrider]

http://www.lapolicegear.com/co-bates-29502-usmc-rat.html

Worth gambling on a pair? That's a smokin good price, but the caveat is that they were recalled after Marines in Afghanistan claimed they were having quality issues.

I don't think they were canceled, we can still get them, and they are authorized for wear.

A couple of guys here have them and a few Corpsman have them down at Medical. One guy's pair looks really ratty and they are still holding together.

Hell at that price I might go ahead and buy me a set I was just dreading another change to the uniform and another 100+ dollars I was gonna have to drop on a new pair of boots.

[UndeadInfidel]

http://www.lapolicegear.com/co-bates-29502-usmc-rat.html

Worth gambling on a pair? That's a smokin good price, but the caveat is that they were recalled after Marines in Afghanistan claimed they were having quality issues.

I don't think they were canceled, we can still get them, and they are authorized for wear.

A couple of guys here have them and a few Corpsman have them down at Medical. One guy's pair looks really ratty and they are still holding together.

Hell at that price I might go ahead and buy me a set I was just dreading another change to the uniform and another 100+ dollars I was gonna have to drop on a new pair of boots.

Yeah I have a pair of the Danner versions and they seem pretty stout. Guess I might roll the dice on these.

[Sheepdog-Z]

Please don't buy Danners! They were great and some people still luck out with the made in USA ones, but the imports they're selling nowadays are not worth the price. I wore Bates / 5.11 / Original SWAT / other "disposable" boots for years and finally broke down to buy a pair of boots I expected to last me the rest of my career: Danner's Acadia. Almost two years in they are pulling apart at the seams. Sent them back to Danner for a re-sew and they want $200 for the work!

I purchased a pair of Oakley boots to try -- I've heard good things about hteir longevity.

[Kutter_0311]

Bates E29502 USMC RAT Boot - CLOSEOUT @ LAPG Worth gambling on a pair? That's a smokin good price, but the caveat is that they were recalled after Marines in Afghanistan claimed they were having quality issues.

I don't think they were canceled, we can still get them, and they are authorized for wear. A couple of guys here have them and a few Corpsman have them down at Medical. One guy's pair looks really ratty and they are still holding together. Hell at that price I might go ahead and buy me a set I was just dreading another change to the uniform and another 100+ dollars I was gonna have to drop on a new pair of boots.

Yeah I have a pair of the Danner versions and they seem pretty stout. Guess I might roll the dice on these.

I've heard these are pretty stout, comfortable boots. I'd like to snatch a few pair at this price, since they still have my size.

Looks like a worthwhile gamble to me.

[AKFTW]

Just polished my Bates Paratroopers and put some gutted 550 cord laces on there...Lookin' good! I'll post up about the OTB Junglites when they come tomorrow as well.

[Lapiosaatana]

Mil-tec speedlace boots.

[jeepinbandtrider]

The good ol' Jeep Tire tread boot sole. I love those boots

[UndeadInfidel]

Please don't buy Danners! They were great and some people still luck out with the made in USA ones, but the imports they're selling nowadays are not worth the price. I wore Bates / 5.11 / Original SWAT / other "disposable" boots for years and finally broke down to buy a pair of boots I expected to last me the rest of my career: Danner's Acadia. Almost two years in they are pulling apart at the seams. Sent them back to Danner for a re-sew and they want $200 for the work!

I purchased a pair of Oakley boots to try -- I've heard good things about hteir longevity.

I'll buy them if I want, tbh. (And I only payed $120 for my Goretex USMC RATs)

Besides, the patch in mine has Old Glory and says "Made in the USA" clearly inside. This is probably because they're milspec gear.

[Sheepdog-Z]

I'll buy them if I want, tbh. (And I only payed $120 for my Goretex USMC RATs)

Besides, the patch in mine has Old Glory and says "Made in the USA" clearly inside. This is probably because they're milspec gear.

The USA made are a different animal altogether these days... I'm happy to support a company that backs their product -- with so much built into the Danner legend I'd hoped they would do so... but no. Therefore I don't buy their products and would encourage others to avoid them.

[hutchb25]

I purchased a pair of Merrel MOAB's a couple of weeks back and have a little bit of a review to post.

I've worn them for some daily wear and they're very comfortable and very stable for that. But more relevantly, I just took them on a trip to the Oregon coast and a jaunt through the Ape Cave at Mt. Saint Helens, and they have stood up fantastically. After a long day of trekking the beach on a blustery day, coupled with a pair of medium-duty wool socks, they kept my feet comfortable and dry, even though I was walking in the tide. The only time my feet got wet was when I got a little complacent and failed to outrun a wave; water promptly sloshed down my ankles. Even then though, I was able to tolerably enjoy the rest of my day without a change of footwear.

The next day I trekked through both the upper and lower sections of the Ape Cave. This entailed about a quarter/half mile hike through the snow to get to the entrance, and then the entirety of the cave was wet, wet, WET. Water running on the floor, water dripping from the ceiling. Pools of standing water. On top of that, there were multiple piles of rock to climb over, and much of the floor was rough, jagged lava rock, especially in the upper cave. My feet stayed dry, even walking through 3 inches of water, and they provided ample traction and stability for the environment. The tread is still intact, even though I would have expected a chunk or two taken out.

My only complaint was when I mis-stepped a little and caught a pointy rock to the side of my foot. That was a little sore...but, no damage to the boot itself. I also wish the ankle would come up a little higher, given that I'm used to logging boots, but I haven't rolled my ankle or anything yet.


All in all, for ~$130 or whatever I paid, a good purchase.

[Cockroach]

Well, I finally went out and got some boots -- Merrell Moab Ventilator Mid. Feels so weird, my ankles having support!

Great shoes. very nice and lightweight.